thomas



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. A. D. THOMAS.

GOTION PRESS.

No. 399,995. .921.9911999 D90. so, 1894.

2 Sw An M .O H m1 D. A.

(No Model.)

COTTON PRESS.

No. 309,995. Patented Deo. 30, 1884.

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. lNiTEn STATEs PATENT EETEE.

ABNER D. THOMAS, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,995, dated December30, 1884-.

Application filed May 2, 18S-l.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER D. Trroaras, a citizen of the United States,residiiig at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State ofArkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCotton-Presses, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aperspective of a press constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a central vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a similar seetion,of amodification of my invention. Fig. et is a vertical section through theupper portion of the press,with the follower removed. Fig. 5 is asimilar view with the follower lowered a short distance, showingacotton-bale ready to be discharged. Fig. (iis a vertical sectionshowingthe follower supported by two piston-rods.

Like letters refer to like parts.

My invention relates to cotton, hay, and other presses, and to thatclass of the same in which a steam-cylinder is employed, the piston ofwhich is adapted to compress the material into the baling-chamber; andmy invention consists in certain features hereinafter described7 andspecifically set forth in the claims.

On a suitable foundation, A, I secure a steam-cylinder, B, provided witha steam-sup y ply pipe, b, having a regulating-valve, b', the stem ofwhich is extended upwardly to an accessible locality, as at b2, in orderthat the operation of the piston may be controlled at will.

Any suitable exhaust-pipe may be supplied to the cylinder.

Above the upper end of the cylinder B there is a` staging or floor, C,having an aperture or opening, c, for the passage therethrough of afollower, d, secured to the outer end of the piston-rod B of thecylinder. The balingchamber D is supported by rods D', pivoiallyconnected to the foundation A, and has a cross-beam, D2, rigidlyconnected or secured to the upper ends of the rods D. The upper wall ofthe heling-chamber is provided with the usual bale-tie slots, d', andsimilar slots are provided in the follower. Cleats on the outer,

surface of the end walls of the baling-cham-f ber sustain the cross-barsE', which are se- (No model.)

cured to or placed against doors E, for the purpose of retaining them inposition during the compressing operation.

E" represents pendent dogs suspended from the cross-bar E', and sohinged that by gravity they assume a vertical position, so as to presenttheir points beneath the cotton or other material compressed in thechamber.

F represents a casing or box, havingin this instance severalcompartments, f, each ofthe capacity to retain an ordinary charge of thematerial to be baled. Above the box F is a floor, G, which may beemployed for thestorage in bulk of the substance to be baled, so that itmay be readily transferred from the floor into one of the compartments fand tramped down, while the contents of a previously filled compartmentis being emptied by the passage of the follower and piston therethrough,so that the contents of the compartment is carried up to and compressedwithin thc baling-chamber D. The box F is supported by casters orrollers f, running on the track c, arranged on the iioor C.

ct represents a stop against which one of the rods D abuts when thebaling-chamber is directly over the follower, and c3 represents a buttonthe pivot of which -is at such a dis-' tance from the rods D that, whenturned, the baling-chamber may, if desired, be inclined, so as todeliver the bale from said chamber unto the floor C; but this operationI prefer to avail myself of in the modification shown in Fig. 3, whichwill hereinafter be described; and said rods may be retained permanentlyin a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the bale of cotton bedischarged, as shown in Fig. 5, by slightly lowering the follower, whileone corner of the bale is still supported by the dogs E. After a balehas been compressed the doors are removed and the ties are introducedinto the slots, the bale tied off and delivered from the chamber by anysuitable means and in any suitable manner, but preferably as shown inFig. 5, when the doors are again replaced and the box is ready to befilled, and'after it is filled the valve-stem b2 is operated to give afresh supply of steam beneath the depressed piston or pistons, and thecontents are thereby forced as a charge into the chamber. The hooks orIOD dogs retain the charge within the chamber. l 1. The combination of.a steam-cylinder The exhaust-port is then opened, the piston descends bygravity, and the box F is moved along to present another compartment,and during this operation still others may be lled ready to be movedalong over the follower.

By the construction thus far described it will be seen that severalpersons may be sin1ultaneously employed in preparing material to becompressed, in compressing it, and tying it off and delivering thebales, and the whole work is accomplished with economy of space and aminimum quantity of laborinvolved in the operation.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, wherein I employ a Ytiltingchamber, the floor G is on a line with the door G. ASaid additional dooris provided with an opening to permit of the inclination ofthebaling-'chamber D. In this case I employ counterbalanced dogs E2,pivotall7 Supported at c tothe frame ofthe chamber. They are adapted toenter grooves e in the follower d, and they havecounterbalancing-weights ci, supported by cords or chains passing overpulleys supported in any suitable manner on the frame or sides of thechamber D; but they may have springs c4, as shown in Fig. 4. `In thismodification I employ but one box, of a size adapted to permit thefollower to pass therethrough to compress the material deposited thereinfrom the floor G into the baling-chamber D, which is preferably tiltedoff from over the iilling-chambcr. Previous to the last filling wrappingmaterial for the lower half of the bale is laid on the follower, andafter the follower has been run up for the last time it is held inposition by steam. The doors are then opened, and the bale is tied,after which the exhaust-passage is opened.` The dogs on one side retainone side of the bale, while the other is sufficiently tilted for thebale to be thrown out of the press. The

l doors are then closed and the operation repeated.

The piston is provided with two piston-rods passing'through a fiat baror guides secured to the top of the cylinder, to elevate both ends ofthe follower uniformly through the fillingchamber.

Having described my invention and its operation, I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patentand its piston with a baling-chambersecured above the cylinder, a track having straight rails c', and a boxhaving several compartments supported upon said rails, and adapted to bemoved in line with the cylinder and balingchamber successively,substantially as specitied.

2. The combination, with a steam-cylinder and its piston, of abaling-chamber pivotally connected to the foundation thereof, and a boxhaving one or more compartments mounted upon a straight track, andarranged with the cylinder and beding-chamber, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of a vertical steam-cy1 inder and box having one ormore compartments, and a baling-chamber provided with pivoted dogs forretaining successive charges in said baling-ehamber, and means, as shownand described, whereby the baling-chamber may be inclined, substantiallyas specified.

4. The combination of the cylinder B. the box F, adapted to move uponthe track c', the floor G, rods D, and the balingchamber D,substantially as shown and described.

'5. The combination of the base A, cylinder B, supply-pipe b,valve-stein b2, the tracks c, the compartment-box F, the floor G, andthe baling-chamber D, having the dogs E2, sub stantially as shown anddescribed.

6. The combination of the baling-chamber D, provided with oscillatingdogs E2, with a steam-chamber, B, the piston ot' which is connected tothe follower D, having grooves e2 for the reception of the dogs,substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the billing-chamber D, the filling-chamber placedunder said baling-chamber, and a steam-cylinder located under thefilling-chamber and having a piston provided with double piston-rods,substan tially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABNER D. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

` l?. H. Roo'rs,

XVILLIAM B. VAIT.

